Remus and Tonks Do Vegas
by SongOfRoland
Summary: Remus and Tonks are on a mission to recruit American wizards to the fight against Voldemort, but the American Magical Government is located in, of all places, Las Vegas. Featuring tacky hotels, the Grand Canyon, and Star Wars references.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I originally wrote this before HBP, but it has since been edited to fit new canon and thus has spoilers. It was always slightly AU, but that's half the fun. There are spoilers for Star Wars, too, if by chance you haven't seen the original films. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, the Excalibur Hotel and Casino, or Star Wars

* * *

_Part One of Three_

Las Vegas, Tonks decided, was the best city she had ever been in. Everything moved so quickly. The lights were dazzling and the excitement filled her senses. The bright green hair she currently sported fit right in with the crowds of wizards and Muggles alike. It seemed fitting that the American magical community had chosen this city as the location for its government. They could practically wander the streets in robes and cloaks and not look out of place. This was a city Tonks longed to explore.

For this reason, Tonks regretted that she was, in fact, on a mission for the Order. Since the Ministry was now taking an active role in the war against Voldemort, they had started recruiting foreign wizards, sending members of the Department of International Magical Cooperation all over Europe. The Ministry did not see the need to involve the American witches and wizards, but Dumbledore had always insisted they were the best at dealing with terrorist activity and other incidents involving murderous madmen.

Since Dumbledore's untimely death, the Order had realized he had been right about needing help, and they had all agreed to carry out his wishes despite the Ministry. Tonks knew this plan was sound, as the American magical community had always had more problems dealing with extremists and Muggles in general. Their intelligence department was the best in the world.

Her mission was to inform the American Secretary of Magic of Voldemort's return and ask for his support in eliminating the threat posed by the Death Eaters. As an Auror, she had decent credibility, and she hoped she could convince the man to send some of his experts to England. She also hoped this would not take too much time. She was using her vacation time for this mission, and she wanted to fit in at least some semblance of vacation.

"Why did Minerva arrange for us to stay in a casino?" Remus Lupin, who was Tonks's partner for the mission, was not as amused by the city as she was. After the long layover in International Portkey Customs, he was in quite a foul mood. He was also, however, the only member of the Order with unlimited free time for long missions, since he had given up his undercover work with that nutter Fenrir Greyback.

"All the good hotels in Vegas have casinos. It's one of the city's main attractions."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression we were here to request American support in the war against Voldemort, not gamble away our savings playing stupid little games," Remus said, rolling his eyes.

Tonks flashed him a brilliant smile. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Come on, this city is great! Doesn't it make you want to do something crazy?"

Remus made a point of glancing around at the flashing signs, oversized advertisements and general chaos that was the Las Vegas strip. "No. In fact, all I want right now is to find this hotel and take a nice long nap."

"Be that way," Tonks replied, humming a happy tune as she walked a few feet in front of Remus. In the distance, she could see what looked to be a large medieval castle. As they drew closer, she read the name on the sign outside – Excalibur Hotel Casino.

"You've got to be kidding me," Remus said as Tonks dragged him to the front desk.

"Hello!" she said brightly as she approached the clerk, successfully managing to avoid tripping over the elegant woven carpet. "We have a reservation for Tonks and Lupin."

The woman fiddled with her computer and printed off a receipt. Not for the first time, Tonks was thankful for the many visits to her Muggle grandparents' house. It made her much more knowledgeable when it came to situations like this.

Tonks took two key cards from the clerk, who reminded them they must check out before eleven in the morning on Saturday. The woman smiled knowingly as Tonks handed a card to Remus. With a huge grin, Tonks dragged him to the elevator.

"Nymphadora, this is so tacky," Remus commented as they passed several fake suits of armor. "Minerva must be getting a good laugh out of this – oh good grief, the Merlin Theater. This is ridiculous."

"What, you've never seen the muggle version of magic? My dad's Muggleborn. I've been to Disney World…trust me, this is tame," Tonks whispered as she pressed the button for the elevator. "And don't call me Nymphadora."

"Sorry, I don't get out much," Remus replied sarcastically.

"Well, we'll just have to change that." Tonks pulled him into the elevator and pushed the number 14. If only he knew how much she wanted to change that. She thought they had made progress, but now he was back to his moody self.

They rode the elevator in silence. When it stopped at level fourteen, Tonks stepped out and extended the handle on her muggle suitcase so she could wheel it along behind her. Remus stepped out as well, looking confused.

"Nymphadora, there was no thirteenth story. The numbers skipped from twelve to fourteen."

Tonks stopped in front of a door marked with the number "1430" and inserted her key card. "Well naturally. The number thirteen is bad luck, after all. And stop calling me by that name."

"That's ridiculous. Even if it isn't numbered as such, this is still the thirteenth floor."

"You're thinking too rationally. Muggles are superstitious, especially in this country. If you recall, the States were mostly founded by religious exiles from Europe. Puritans, the lot of them."

"Thank you ever so much, Nymphadora, for that riveting history lesson," said Remus as he stepped into the relatively tasteful room. "Hang on...why do we only have one room?"

"Don't call me Nymphadora." Tonks flopped into an armchair and began rifling through her bag. "Minerva was probably trying to save money. This hotel is expensive, but it's really close to the Department entrance. At least the bed is big," said Tonks thoughtfully.

Remus'mouth dropped open and his suitcase fell to the carpeted floor with a soft thunk. "There's only one bed?" he choked.

"Oh come off it; the bed is huge. Minerva is probably getting a big laugh out of this, like you said, and goodness knows she could use it. Besides, didn't you notice the look on the receptionist's face? People get married every five minutes in this city.Naturally they would think we're at least engaged, if not already newlyweds," Tonks remarked with a sly grin, silently thanking McGonagall for her excellent little shove in the right direction.

Remus made a face, but it was hard to tell if he was amused or horrified. He sighed loudly and made his way towards the bathroom. "I think I'll sleep on the floor."

Tonks shrugged, slightly amused by his gentlemanly attitude but still somewhat annoyed. "All right, whatever. Our meeting with Secretary Lucas is at nine."

"I know, I know. I'll be awake and ready to go, trust me. Good night, Nymphadora."

As Tonks pulled an oversized Weird Sisters shirt over her head, she realized she did not really mind when Remus called her Nymphadora. He had a way of making it sound much more pleasant. Smiling, she burrowed under the comforter and switched off the sword-shaped lamp.

* * *

"My, we're looking conservative today," Remus said as Tonks stepped out of the bathroom. He had figured out how to use the electric coffee machine and was sipping a mug of the strong-tasting stuff.

Tonks glanced down at her plain black pants and button-up blue blouse. "Well, I figured I should make an effort to look presentable. I've got my Auror robes for later, too."

"I meant your hair, not your clothes," Remus replied, gesturing to her mousy brown shoulder-length bob.

"Oh." Tonks twirled a piece of hair around her finger and looked at Lupin thoughtfully. Had he really not noticed that her hair had been this color for almost the entirety of the past year? "This is my real hair. This is what I really look like."

"Wow," Remus breathed, taking another slow sip of coffee. He stared at her for a few moments before shaking his head as if to clear an offensive thought. "Well, we'd best get a move on."

Tonks nodded, then looked at the mug in his hand. "Is that coffee any good?"

"No." Remus took the mug to the sink and poured the rest of its contents down the drain. "There's supposed to be a continental breakfast in the lobby. If we hurry, we might make it."

As it turned out, the continental breakfast consisted of the same bad coffee and several varieties of doughnuts. Tonks bit into a large jelly-filled one and watched a troupe of actors performing nearby. They appeared to be reenacting the tragic love triangle between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot.

"This is so tacky," Remus said, brushing doughnut crumbs from his khaki-colored jumper. "I had forgotten how inaccurate the Muggle version of this story was."

Tonks glanced at a nearby wall clock, which gave the time as a quarter to nine. "We should get going." She led the way down the hall and into the Merlin Theater. A narrow door seemed to appear out of the shadows just to the left of the stage, and Tonks pulled in Remus quickly.

"_This_ is the entrance to the American Department of Magic?"

"Of course. The best hiding place is often right out in the open. I mean, who would suspect it? It's too obvious." Tonks pulled her Auror robes out of her pocket and enlarged them to their normal size. After slipping them on somewhat haphazardly in the cramped space, she pulled out her wand and tapped the grate covering an air vent. "Bridget Bishop," she said clearly.

Remus shook his head and coughed loudly. Tonks looked at him curiously. "Why is the password the name of the first woman to be hanged for witchcraft in seventeenth century Salem?" he asked incredulously. Tonks did not respond; he couldn't really expect an answer to that question, right? She waited for the grate to disappear and the hole in the wall to expand to the size of a normal doorway. "These Americans must be out of their minds," Remus muttered as he followed Tonks through the doorway.

The main floor of the Department was not as glitzy as the city outside. The walls were a crisp white, and witches and wizards bustled about normally as though the world's most expensive playground was not lurking nearby. Many of them, Tonks noted, were dressed like Muggle professionals, though a few still wore robes. Tonks suspected the magical community here did not hold to as many of the old traditions as did its European counterparts.

"Name and business," the witch behind the visitor's desk stated. "You'll need to show your wands as well."

"My name is Nymphadora Tonks, and this is Remus Lupin. We are guests from England, here to meet with Secretary Lucas." She obligingly set her wand on the counter, and stepped back so Remus could do the same.

The woman checked her schedule and nodded, handing Tonks two name badges. After a quick inspection of their wands, she returned them and smiled. "The secretary's office is on the fifth floor. The elevator is just down that hall."

Remus and Tonks pinned on their name badges and walked towards the elevator. The Department building was more or less similar to the British Ministry, but the Americans had clearly integrated more Muggle technology. The elevator stopped at level five with a soft "ding."

After checking in with the Secretary's clerk, they settled into squashy armchairs to wait for their appointment. Tonks picked up an issue of "Magical Time," which appeared to be an American wizarding publication. It contained the typical news and gossip, but there was no mention of Voldemort anywhere. Perhaps the Americans did not see him as something that could affect them.

"Mr. Lupin? Ms. Tonks? The Secretary will see you now," the receptionist said pleasantly, gesturing towards a plain oak door with a gold name plate. Tonks and Remus exchanged a look, then pushed open the door together.

"Well hello!" a man with graying hair and a full beard said cheerfully. "You must be the diplomats from the British Ministry. My name is Clifford Lucas. Please, sit down. Can I get you some coffee?"

Tonks and Remus both declined the coffee politely and took their seats in front of the Secretary's large desk. The walls of the office were decorated with what looked like Muggle movie posters, and a large cardboard cutout of a man wearing a long black cape and a black helmet stood in one corner.

"Hey, that's Darth Vader!" Tonks exclaimed, pointing at the cardboard statue.

"Who?" Remus asked, puzzled.

"Really, Remus, you need more Muggle friends. Darth Vader is the villain in a series of films called _Star Wars_. My dad loves the Muggle cinema. I take it you are a fan as well, Mr. Lucas?" Tonks inquired politely.

Mr. Lucas reclined in his chair and chuckled softly. "Actually, George Lucas is my brother."

"No? Really! My dad would be so excited!" said Tonks with a grin. Remus still looked confused. "So, is he a wizard, then?"

"Yep," Mr. Lucas said proudly. "That's why he named his company 'Industrial Light and Magic.' Always hide out in the open, I say." He took a large drink of coffee before continuing. "So, about this Voldemort fellow. The message I received didn't explain much, aside from the fact that whoever wrote the missive kept referring to him as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.' Seemed a bit weird."

Remus spoke first, glad the topic had switched to something he could discuss. "Voldemort returned about almost two years ago, but our Ministry has only recently taken an active role in the fight against him. We are, therefore, behind in our plans regarding his removal from power."

"Why did it take so long for his return to be recognized?" Mr. Lucas inserted.

"The only witness to the return was a fourteen-year-old wizard named Harry Potter," Remus explained. "Naturally, the Ministry did not want to believe the truth."

Mr. Lucas nodded thoughtfully. "Ah yes, the Boy Who Lived. I recall hearing that story. Let me guess, Potter is the only one who can eliminate Voldemort and restore order to the wizarding world?"

"How in the world did you guess that?" Remus asked skeptically. There had been speculation in the _Prophet_, of course, but it seemed unlikely that Lucas would have read that. "That information is highly classified; only a select few are aware of it." After Dumbledore's death, Harry had only told himself, Tonks, and Moody so they would leave him alone. Harry was convinced he had to work by himself.

"It's like _Star Wars_," Tonks replied easily. "Except Voldemort is most definitely _not_ Harry's father." Remus opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again and put a hand to his forehead. "Sorry, Remus, I keep forgetting that your knowledge of Muggle pop culture ends with the phonograph," Tonks teased. She looked back at Mr. Lucas seriously. "Anyway, back to business."

"Right," said Mr. Lucas, sending a small smile in Remus' direction. "I assume you are looking for several of our terrorism experts to help coordinate a form of 'search and destroy?'"

Remus nodded. "Albus Dumbledore, who was one of our most well-respected wizards, believed the American input would be a great asset. He always wanted to arrange a task force, if you will, that would be in place until the threat is eliminated. He was…killed…about a month ago, and with this great loss the Ministry has finally acknowledged that we need help. Part of the operation could be based here, but it would be necessary for several of your experts to spend at least a little time in Britain."

Mr. Lucas stroked his beard and took another long swig from his coffee mug. "I will get in touch with the head of our intelligence department and arrange a meeting for later this week. Could the two of you make it here Friday, same time?" Remus and Tonks both nodded, and Lucas clapped his hands eagerly. "Good! Well, Mr. Lupin, Ms. Tonks, it has been a pleasure. I will see you on Friday."

As they rode the elevator back to the lobby, Remus questioned Tonks about _Star Wars_. "What were you going on about, with Voldemort not being Harry's father? What has that got to do with anything?"

"That's a big plot of the films. The villain is actually the hero's father. The hero himself shares many of Harry's characteristics, oddly, which is why Lucas more or less figured out the prophecy. It's kind of hard to explain if you haven't seen the actual films. Maybe we could get them in the hotel. We have two days of free time, after all," said Tonks with a wide grin. "Las Vegas, here we come!"

Remus stifled a laugh as Tonks' joyful exclamation was cut off by her crashing into an elegantly carved bench. "I can hardly wait," he said gravely.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I hope this chapter clears up any confusion. If you were curious, most of the Vegas landmarks depicted here are real (my aunt lives there). Please read and review!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Star Wars still don't belong to me. Pity, that.

* * *

_Part Two of Three_

Remus settled back into the bed in the hotel room and sighed. The last full moon had been particularly rough on him, and being in such close proximity to one Nymphadora Tonks was not helping his nerves any. She made him want to feel happy and alive again, despite the horrors of the war around them. A part of him that he had thought long dormant had slowly reawakened.

He knew Tonks was frustrated. They had made strides in their relationship after Dumbledore's funeral, but she had immediately gone off on some Auror mission and he had retreated into his old opinions during their time apart. He honestly had no idea where they stood right now.

"You're a fool, Remus Lupin," he berated himself. "This is your dead best friend's baby cousin." Groaning, he pulled a pillow over his face. Why did things have to be so complicated?

"Wotcher Remus!" Tonks said brightly, bounding into the room. Her hair was the same neon green color it had been when they arrived in the city. "You definitely should have come to the casino with me. I won 500 American Muggle dollars! Isn't that great! Those slot machine things really are ingenious."

Remus removed the pillow from his face and sat up, a look of disbelief on his face. "You went gambling…and won?"

"Of course. I told you I was going to explore the hotel, but you didn't want to come," she said with a grin, pulling a wad of greenish paper bills out of her pocket. "I was going to get dinner at this restaurant downstairs, since I've come into some money. They apparently have really good ribs. Anyway, I thought you might want to come, since you've been cooped up in here. What did you do all day anyway?"

_Fantasized about you_, Remus thought, but he managed to mumble, "Watched television. Did you know there is a museum dedicated to some Muggle named Liberace?"

"You watched the tourist information channel? Blimey, you need to get out of here. We're going for ribs. My treat." Tonks shoved Remus off the bed and waved her little wad of cash in his face. "And you thought nothing good could come of gambling."

The restaurant was crowded, and it took a little over a half hour for them to be seated. Tonks immediately began poring over the menu, listing off things that sounded good. After several minutes, she discarded the main menu and picked up the drink menu. "I think I want a cocktail to go with my ribs. Do you want anything?"

Remus glanced over the drink menu and shook his head. He was not willing to spend that much money on drinks; water was fine for him. The ribs were expensive enough.

The waiter came to take their order, and Remus let Tonks go first. After Tonks had ordered her drink, the waiter looked at her carefully.

"Do you have ID, miss?" he asked, glancing amusedly at Remus.

"Oh, right." Tonks fumbled in her pocket and produced her passport. The waiter studied it for a few moments before nodding. Apparently satisfied, he turned to Remus and took his order before scurrying away.

"What was that about?" Remus asked, slightly unnerved.

"You have to be twenty-one to drink alcohol in the States. They checked my passport in the casino earlier, too, as the same age rule applies there," Tonks explained easily.

Remus shifted in his seat uncomfortably. The knowledge that people believed Tonks to be under twenty-one made him feel really, really old. The suggestive glance from the waiter hadn't helped, either. He tried to tell himself that her wildly colored hair made her look younger than she actually was, but this didn't make him feel better at all.

Dinner came soon, though, and the ribs were good enough to provide a distraction. Remus couldn't remember the last time he had eaten something so delicious. They chatted amiably between bites, and all in all dinner was a big success.

Maybe this city wasn't so bad after all, Remus realized as they left the restaurant. At Tonks' suggestion, he even agreed to wander around the streets for awhile. He still thought the lights and flashing signs were a bit ridiculous, but he could tell Tonks loved it. It wasn't often she could venture into the Muggle world with bright blue hair and not look out of place.

"Look! A street performer!" Tonks said excitedly, pointing to a man dressed in a colorful jester's costume juggling an impressive array of objects. Loud, annoying music accompanied the performance, which was generally executed with great skill. The man clearly knew what he was doing. Tonks applauded loudly and whistled through her fingers as the performer juggled three flaming torches and two small swords at the same time, and Remus found watching her reaction to be more entertaining than the act itself. They stood there for a few more minutes before continuing down the Strip.

They passed a realistic-looking volcano in front of a large hotel, which Remus thought a little odd. A large crowd had gathered and excited shouts filled the air as the volcano "erupted." Tonks grinned at him, and he managed a small smile. The Muggles in this city did a good job getting by without magic, Remus realized. He wondered how much of that was due to the fact that the American magical government headquarters was hidden here.

Tonks continued to point out various landmarks, finally stopping at a large souvenir shop. She immediately found a display of souvenir t-shirts that read "I Did Vegas" in giant red letters on the front. "We _have_ to get these!" she said, rifling through the rack to find shirts in their sizes.

Remus sensed that it would be useless to protest as Tonks bounded to the counter with two shirts in hand. He flushed furiously as the store clerk smirked at him and he quickly stuffed the shirt in the pocket of his jacket.

After about two hours Tonks ducked into a small shop, leaving Remus standing on the sidewalk feeling foolish. She emerged a few minutes later carrying three small plastic boxes. He looked at her curiously, but she merely smiled and started back towards the hotel.

Remus went into the bathroom and changed into a faded set of flannel pajamas. Nevada really had too warm a climate for flannel, but the hotel room was cool thanks to the Muggle air-conditioning. He returned to the main part of the room to find Tonks reclined on the bed, wearing a pair of pink boxer shorts and her "I Did Vegas" t-shirt. Her hair, he noticed, was also back to its trademark short-cropped bubble-gum color. _She's happy, and you did that. Are you trying to make yourself miserable?_

"Come here," she said, patting the spot next to her on the bed. "I rented some films. Figured we might as well make good use of the hotel's VCR."

Remus cautiously settled into the bed, making sure no part of him was touching Tonks. If he was going to do this, he had to take things slowly. Suddenly, words appeared on the screen. He turned to Tonks with a small smile as the music blared. "_Star Wars_? You really rented this?"

"Of course. Just watch," Tonks replied, shutting off the bedside lamp. The light by the door was still on, and there was a glow from the television, but the room was mostly dark. Remus shifted in his seat but managed to pay attention to the film.

It was quite good, he had to admit. He had only seen a Muggle film once before. Lily had wanted to take James, and James had of course dragged his friends with him. Remus chuckled at the memory; clearly, Lily had intended it to be a real date. Instead, Sirius had spent the entire time throwing popcorn at James and Lily while Remus tried to get Peter to shut up. The Muggles in the theater had not been impressed. In the end, he had not paid much attention to the actual film. From what he could remember, he hadn't really liked it.

Remus was somewhat puzzled by the ending. They had won the battle, but, unless he had missed it, Luke hadn't figured out who his father was. Tonks must have sensed his question, because she glanced at the clock and got up to fiddle with the VCR.

"There are actually three movies," she explained. "We can watch all of them right now if you want, but it will probably take until five in the morning."

Shrugging, Remus said, "I'm not really that tired. If you're up for it, let's watch the rest."

Tonks nodded and picked up her key card and a few Muggle dollars from the table. "If we're watching two more movies, I'm going to get some snacks. Want anything?" Remus shook his head. Tonks bounded out of the room and returned a few minutes later with two bottles and several bags.

"I got you something anyway," she said, flopping back down on the bed. "I don't know if you like Coca-Cola, but that's what they had. I also got some crisps and a couple of pastry-type things." She twisted the top off her Coke, only to have it explode all over herself and her half of the bed. "Drat. Should've remembered to let the fizz settle." She grabbed her wand and murmured a few cleaning spells. She had to attempt her _Scourgify _several times, but the blanket eventually ended up dry. Placing the bottle on the table, she moved to switch the videotapes.

"This one is called _The Empire Strikes Back_. I think it's the best one, although my dad disagrees. He likes the first one best," she said, taking a long drink from her Coke.

Remus stared at her in amazement. Within the span of five minutes she had purchased an assortment of Muggle junk food, caused a fizzy drink to explode all over, cleaned up said fizzy drink, and settled down to watch another film. She moved so quickly it made him dizzy.

Tonks was right, he decided, the second movie was better. He was also beginning to see why Lucas and Tonks found similarities between Luke and Harry. Both were brave, curious, and somewhat rash. Both had "saving-people-things" that resulted in disaster. The similarities ended there, though, in Remus' opinion. It wasn't a direct parallel by any means.

Though Tonks must have seen the films at least once before, she still had her eyes glued to the screen. At certain moments she would recite the lines along with the characters and then laugh uproariously. Remus had to admit it was the most fun he had had in a long time. There certainly weren't many moments of relaxation like this these days.

He felt suddenly guilty, wondering what the rest of the Order would think if they knew he and Tonks were watching Muggle films when they were supposed to be on a mission. _It's not our fault Secretary Lucas can't meet again until Friday_, his rebellious side said. He grinned inwardly; Tonks' antics had helped him find his inner Marauder again.

"How is that an ending? Han is frozen in that thing!" Remus exclaimed as the credits rolled. "How long did people have to wait for the next one?"

"Something like two years," Tonks replied. "My dad went crazy with anticipation…fortunately, we can see installment three in about two seconds." She switched the tapes and stole a drink from his Coca-Cola, having finished her own about a half hour ago. She shivered slightly and crawled under the comforter as the opening credits appeared on the screen.

They watched the third film in silence, each sneaking occasional glances at the other. Remus wasn't sure if it was all the sugar or the late hour or what, but he suddenly felt extremely anxious. The film was interesting, to be sure, but he realized it was Tonks who had made the experience enjoyable. During his time with the feral werewolves, he had thought of her more often than he liked to admit. She was the bright spot in his lonely life, and he decided it was high time he really, truly did something about it. As Luke returned victoriously to Princess Leia and Han Solo, Remus leaned over and looked at Tonks with bright eyes. Before she had a chance to speak, he kissed her.

Her shock was evident on her face, but soon she responded and kissed him back. A fire slowly spread through his veins, igniting his keen wolf senses. He pressed harder, enveloping her slender frame in his arms. She tasted of Coca-Cola and strawberry pastry, and her hair smelled of fresh flowers after a spring rain. It was several thousand times more amazing than he had imagined now that he didn't have to feel guilty anymore. After several minutes, he reluctantly broke the embrace, looking for her reaction.

She was smiling, which Remus took to be a good sign. "Wow," she managed. "I've seen _The Return of the Jedi_ six times, and I can say with confidence that this was the best ending ever."

"Thanks, I guess. I hope I wasn't –" He was cut off as Tonks kissed him again.

"I've wanted this for a long time, Remus. You know that," she said with a sigh, flicking off the television and VCR. "Since I was five and Sirius brought you and James and the traitor over to visit, if I'm being completely honest with myself." Her voice was quiet, and she didn't quite manage to look Remus in the eye as she spoke.

"I guess I was afraid you wouldn't want a boring old werewolf like me. I'm not good enough for you," Remus responded softly, taking her hand in his. He was surprised she had held onto a twenty-year-old crush, especially after his behavior over the past year, but he couldn't say he was disappointed.

"We've been over this too many times," said Tonks plainly. She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. "Seeing as it's nearly morning, I guess we should get some sleep. Good night, Remus."

"Good night, Nymphadora."

* * *

Remus awoke the next morning to see Tonks' side of the bed empty. She wasn't in the room at all, and he wondered if she had decided to try her luck at the slots again. Groaning, he glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly noon.

After a quick shower he pulled on a faded polo shirt and trousers. He had tried to pack his best clothes for this trip, as he wanted to make a good impression on the Americans, but he had very few possessions that could be considered the best anything. It was fortunate, really, that people generally paid more attention to Tonks than they did to him.

"Wotcher Remus," Tonks said as she carefully tiptoed into the room, balancing a brown paper bag and two cups of coffee in one hand and sporting a head full of springy blue curls. Sensing imminent disaster, Remus hurried forward to help.

"Thanks," she said with a grin. "Set a new record, I did. Managed to carry that stuff all the way across the street and back up to the room. The shop said they served tea, but I got coffee instead, never met an American who could make a good cup of tea. The scones looked okay though. Oh, and I returned the videos so we don't have to worry about late fees." She bit into one of the scones and chewed thoughtfully. "Not bad, really. Here, have one."

Remus took the scone and coffee and inclined his head in thanks. "So, what's on the agenda for the day?"

"Well, the hotel has two really nice pools, but you don't seem to be the swimming type to me," said Tonks between mouthfuls of scone. Remus shook his head furiously and shuddered at the thought. "That's what I thought. The casino yesterday was fun but a little goes a long way. Were you serious about the Liberace museum?"

"Um, no."

"Good, because I really wasn't looking forward to that. Hmm…" Tonks trailed off, apparently lost in thought. Remus waved a hand in front of her face, trying to catch her attention.

"Do you trust me?" Tonks asked seriously.

"What kind of question is that? Of course I do," said Remus, slightly offended that she even had to ask.

"All right then." She ducked into the bathroom and returned a few seconds later dressed in a pair of cropped khaki trousers and a green tank top. She glanced at his outfit critically, then nodded. "You should be okay. Come on, we're kind of getting a late start but we should be able to catch the last bus. We can always Apparate back here, anyway."

Remus followed Tonks down the hall, wondering what she was planning. He wasn't so sure he liked the sound of this bus idea. "Where are we going?"

Tonks merely grinned widely. "You'll see."

After spending over an hour on a bus filled with loud Muggle tourists, Remus began to understand why Tonks had asked if he trusted her. He was curious, but he had never been very comfortable in crowds. A tour guide was talking up front, but it was too noisy for him to hear properly from their spot in the back of the bus.

They had clearly left the city, and the landscape was more rugged. When they finally stopped, Remus looked around, expecting to see some sort of building. Instead, he saw only a sign that read "Welcome to the Grand Canyon."

He glanced over at Tonks, an excited smile on his face. "This was the surprise? How did you know I wanted to see the Grand Canyon?"

Tonks shrugged. "Well, you put up with me wandering around the city, and I figured if you didn't like the lights and noise maybe you would like this."

Remus stepped away from the main tour group, eager to peer over the edge of the cliff. He had never seen anything so vast and magnificent in his life. "Makes you feel rather small and insignificant, doesn't it?"

Stepping closer to Remus, Tonks stared down at the gorge. "Yes…but it's peaceful too. Reminds me that good things can still be found in this world."

"Why Nymphadora, that was almost philosophical."

"What can I say? You're rubbing off on me." Tonks grabbed his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed that way for a long time, until the sun set over the valley.

It was late when they finally returned to the hotel. They were able to Apparate directly into the room, as there were no wards set up around the Muggle hotel, even if it was the hiding place of the American Department of Magic.

"Thanks for a wonderful day," Remus said sincerely as they settled down to sleep. He picked at a loose thread on his flannel top, wrapping it around his finger idly.

"The pleasure was all mine," Tonks replied sleepily. She curled up under the comforter, and Remus realized he wasn't so worried about staying on his side of the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Star Wars, or the Excalibur Hotel (which is actually much classier than depicted here)

* * *

_Part Three of Three_

"Good to see you again!" Clifford Lucas said boisterously, ushering Tonks and Remus into his office. "This is Mark Petrello, our head of intelligence and security. Mark, this is Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin of the British Ministry," said Lucas, gesturing to a tall, middle-aged man with dark hair and eyes. Tonks decided not to correct him; she was a Ministry member, at least, even if Remus wasn't.

"Nice to meet you," Petrello replied cordially, shaking their hands. The three of them settled into chairs in front of Lucas' desk.

"I have filled Petrello in on what you told me on Wednesday. We agree it would be in our interest to aid your cause as best we can. We stayed out of the war against Grindelwald too long, and we all know what came of that disaster. My father knew Roosevelt personally and tried to explain the magnitude of the war, but it took the bombing of Pearl Harbor for him to do anything about it," Lucas explained.

Remus smiled at the news that the Americans would help. "We hope the Muggles will not become involved as they were during the Second World War."

"What is it you do for the Ministry, Mr. Lupin?" Petrello asked.

"Research," Remus replied, thinking quickly. "Tonks here is an Auror, though."

"Are you really? Is it your department we would be working with?" inquired Petrello.

"Hopefully," Tonks answered honestly. "In all likelihood, you would aid the Order directly. Minerva McGonagall and Alastor Moody are largely in charge of the Order now. We sought American support because of your excellent intelligence department, so any operations would be highly classified and covert."

"Of course, of course. You tell McGonagall I will be contacting her sometime next week, after I get my team together. She is now the headmistress of your school?" Remus and Tonks both nodded. "Very well," said Petrello. "I look forward to working with the two of you."

Lucas smiled and clapped his hands together. "Well, that's settled then. I know this will end happily for all of us." Remus and Tonks nodded politely and rose to leave.

"'May the Force be with you!'" Lucas called after them. "If you see young Mr. Potter, tell him that for me, will you?"

Tonks glanced back at Lucas with a brilliant smile. "Of course we will."

* * *

Tonks and Remus grabbed lunch from a small café before returning to their room. "You know," Tonks said as she paced back and forth across the carpet, "we still have almost twenty-four hours before our scheduled portkey back to England. Don't you feel like doing something fun? Especially since the mission turned out to be so successful." 

"Um, I don't know. I think I've already had enough fun on this trip," Remus said with a smirk.

Tonks thought for a moment before jumping up on the bed next to Remus. "I know! Let's get married!"

Remus shook his head and made a motion to clean out his ear, thinking he could not have heard that correctly. "What?"

"We should get married. I told you when we first got here this city made me want to do something crazy," said Tonks seriously. "Really, though, it would be practical as well. There's almost no red tape involved in getting a marriage license here."

"But-but…I haven't even asked you to marry me!" Remus sputtered.

"I know that. But you want to, don't you? We certainly danced around each other enough back home. And the process would take ages there, especially with all the tests and paperwork we'd have to go through since I'm an Auror and you're a werewolf. They'd have to make sure I wouldn't reveal any classified information to you, and I'm sure you're quite aware of all the stupid regulations you'd have to deal with. It would probably be over a year before the Ministry would approve the license, if they did at all." Tonks spoke quickly, her eyes brimming with excitement.

"But Nymphadora, I never asked!"

"You didn't have to," Tonks replied. "Come on, haven't you always wanted to do something so wild no one would believe it was true? Imagine the look on Molly's face! Or Mad-Eye! Ahh, that would be great."

"Marriage seems to be a little too serious to take so lightly," Remus replied soberly. He moved off the bed and leaned up against the wall. She couldn't possibly be serious, could she?

Apparently she was. "Remus, I want to. When are we going to get the chance again? You avoided me for a year before I could get through to you, and I'm sick of waiting. Sure, it's a little unorthodox, but that's half the fun."

Remus sighed and crossed his arms. "What would your parents say?"

"They'll get over the shock and be happy, I'm sure. I don't really care what they think anyway; if I did, I wouldn't be an Auror," said Tonks. She scrunched up her face and changed her hair back to its real color, though the brown didn't seem as dull as it had before. For a fleeting moment, Remus wondered if the Muggle hotel workers had taken notice of her frequent hair color changes, but he figured it wasn't all that important. Not in this city, at least.

He had to admit he had often dreamed of sharing his life with the spunky young Auror. It had been terrible trying to hide his childish crush, firstfrom Sirius and then from the feral werewolves. Others were bound to disapprove. He was twelve years older than she. He was a bleeding werewolf. He had no real job at the moment. Surely things like this should matter to a bright young Metamorphmagus who had one of the most prestigious jobs in the Ministry.

Glancing at Tonks, though, he could see that none of these things really mattered to her at all. Though she had told him this "a million times," as she said, he had never really believed it before now. She had apparently loved him since she was five, which he still found almost unbelievable. He remembered Sirius' five-year-old cousin Dora, who had instantly attached herself to her older cousin's friends. His seventeen-year-old self had been wary at first, afraid he might hurt her, but she had always welcomed him. Her parents had as well. Then, of course, everything had gone to hell and he had retreated back into his misery. He had been alone for too long.

"You know what?" he said suddenly. "Let's get married."

* * *

The line at the Marriage License Bureau was a little long, but less than an hour later they had acquired all the necessary paperwork. It took a bit longer than usual because the clerk had to make several photocopies of their Muggle passports, which were understandably dodgy, as Kingsley had made them. 

Next they visited a small jewelry shop to pick out inexpensive rings. Remus let Tonks choose; he didn't particularly care and she was paying more than half price anyway. Her gambling winnings had gone much farther than he had expected. Tonks showed him the plain gold bands as they left the shop, mentioning that they could charm them as was done in wizarding ceremonies later. That taken care of, they stopped at a small outdoor drink bar to look over the paperwork.

"Now, the hotel has a wedding chapel, but we could go somewhere else. There are all sorts of themes to choose from. We could even have an Elvis impersonator perform!" Tonks said excitedly as she shuffled through the sizeable stack of brochures.

Remus shifted in the rather uncomfortable plastic chair. Suddenly this seemed like the worst idea ever. "Why don't we go back to the hotel and see if we can't just do it there. That seems easiest." He had no idea what an Elvis impersonator was, but it couldn't be anything good.

Nodding, Tonks threw away her plastic lemonade cup and started back for the hotel eagerly. He followed a few steps behind, smiling at her bouncing figure. Her attitude made him feel a little less worried about the whole thing.

The hotel's wedding chapel had an opening that afternoon, as it seemed someone had cancelled at the last minute. Remus couldn't decide if this was fortunate or not. Before he could really stop to think about it, though, Tonks dragged him to the preparation area to pick out clothes.

She looked through the rack of brightly colored medieval costumes with a look of concentration on her face. "Let's see. Do you want to dress as Merlin or King Arthur?"

"Nymphadora, this is so tacky. Do we really need to wear this stuff?" Remus poked at the velvet sleeve of a very elaborate "wizards' robe."

"This from a man who wears tweed," Tonks said, snorting. "That's half the fun. Can you help me find a dress I won't trip over?"

Sighing, Remus began searching through the various gowns. His eyes finally landed on a pale pink satin. It was delicate and feminine, but not overly so.

"How about this one?" he said, pulling it out to show the dress to Tonks. "It looks like it would fit you."

Tonks grabbed the dress and eyed it critically. "It's perfect," she declared. "Now, what are you wearing?"

Sheepishly, Remus held up his own old set of grey dress robes. "Everything they have here is either too fancy or too fake-looking. I can get by in this, I think."

"Oh fine. You need to sign this paper, by the way, for the hotel." Tonks handed Remus a sheet of paper and a ballpoint pen. She hurried into the changing room, humming some nonsensical tune.

Remus looked over the marriage certificate, cursed himself for being an idiot, and signed the paper as required. He pulled on the worn robes – they had been somewhat decent once, when he had worn them to James and Lily's wedding. For some reason, he had been possessed to bring them on this trip.

"I guess I know why," he murmured wryly, buttoning the sleeve. He stared at himself in the full-length mirror. The robes were a little dusty and clashed with his brown shoes. He traced a finger over a long scar on his cheek and wondered when his hair had gotten so grey. "This is a bad idea," he mumbled to himself. "Only a month ago she was still depressed because of my stubbornness. We kissed for what might as well be the first time two days ago (his brief lapses of judgment during denial didn't count). On top of that, I look like some sort of pathetic Muggle clown."

With a sigh, he stepped back into the reception area to wait for Tonks. He smiled at the sounds of her cursing as she apparently struggled with the dress, but as the door opened his heart leapt into his throat.

The pink satin gown had long, bell-shaped sleeves and a square-cut neckline. The bodice was fitted before flaring out just below the waist to trail elegantly downwards, the hemline barely meeting the floor. Tonks was built boyishly, but still most definitely a woman, and the dress suited her perfectly.

"You did a good job finding this," she said shyly. "I think I'm going barefoot, though, I'll be less likely to fall on my face then."

Remus finally found his voice. "You look beautiful, Nymphadora." She flushed prettily before grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the chapel.

The chapel was decorated to look like a medieval castle. Red banners hung from the walls, and torches lit the path to the altar. Remus was reminded of Hogwarts, if Hogwarts had electric torches and fake stone walls. The wedding official looked like a bad imitation of a pagan priest, and some perfectly awful music came from an organ in the corner that was, at least, real. The woman playing it, however, had a mechanical look to her, as though she had been programmed to play wedding songs until she eventually gave up and died. Two other hotel employees, dressed as knights, stood as witnesses, and Tonks squeezed his hand as they approached the official.

He did not really pay much attention to the words of the ceremony. It was obviously a very fake reproduction of some supposed medieval ritual. Instead, he stared at Tonks as the official performed his piece. The man stumbled over their unusual names, which caused Tonks to shake with silent laughter. Remus tried to glare at her reprovingly, but he couldn't stop from smiling himself. The whole thing really was too funny.

When asked to repeat some vow, Remus did so. A distant part of his brain noted that the words rhymed childishly. He then placed the ring on her finger as instructed, and felt the cool weight of the metal as she returned the gesture. The whole thing seemed very surreal until Tonks pulled him in for a kiss.

They posed for pictures afterwards and Remus hoped he never had to see them. They probably looked ridiculous. A small crowd had gathered outside the chapel area, and he tried to hide his face as the same front desk clerk met his eyes with a knowing smile. They changed back into their Muggle clothes and ran back to their room. Tonks couldn't stop laughing.

"That was great!" she said, breathing heavily. "Best thing I ever did."

"I'd have to agree there," Remus replied as he kicked off his worn brown shoes. He pulled Tonks closer to him and breathed in the scent of her hair. She smiled up at him and brushed a stray strand of graying hair from his face.

"I love you, Nymphadora," he said softly, tracing the line of her jaw with his finger.

"I know," Tonks replied with a smirk. "Which is good, I suppose, as we're married." Her smile grew wider as she met his embrace.

* * *

"You did _what_?" Molly Weasley exclaimed as Tonks and Remus made their report at the next Order meeting. Much to Remus' chagrin, Tonks had insisted upon wearing her "I Did Vegas" t-shirt, and had forced him to wear his as well. He had put on a jumper over it, though. 

"Like I said, we met with the American Secretary of Magic and the head of their Department of Intelligence, and they agreed to help in any way they can. Then, since we had an extra day in the States, Remus and I decided to get married," Tonks explained, grinning madly.

"You don't just decide to get married because you have some free time!" Molly said exasperatedly. Remus supposed she was just upset because she hadn't been able to over plan their wedding as she was doing Bill and Fleur's.

"Oh come now, Molly, they're adults. I, for one, think it is wonderful," Arthur said excitedly. He eyes suddenly grew round with anticipation. "Did you really have a Muggle wedding?"

"Yes, we did, though it was somewhat…different from a traditional wedding," Remus replied with a chuckle. He sensed movement at his side and glanced in horror at Tonks, who was pulling something from her pocket. "Nymphadora, no. You are _not_ showing them those awful pictures."

"Why not? My mum thought they were cute," Tonks replied. Remus shuddered at the memory; _that_ had been an awkward visit, despite the fact that Tonks' parents had seemed mostly accepting of the whole thing.

"I thought you said it was a Muggle wedding. Why did you wear wizard robes, Remus?" Arthur asked, looking almost disappointed as he peered at one of the photos.

"It was a Muggle wedding, but in Las Vegas they have these crazy wedding chapels where you can have themed ceremonies. Ours was this ridiculous Merlin and King Arthur thing," Remus said, frowning down at the Muggle prints of himself and Tonks standing in the fake castle flanked by the fake knights. He supposed it had been better than having an Elvis impersonator.

"It was not ridiculous!" Tonks said, swatting Remus' arm with a picture. She suddenly glanced over at McGonagall, as though remembering something. "Minerva, do you know where Harry is? We have a message for him."

McGonagall looked at her with a somewhat startled expression, but she was smiling nonetheless. "He is at the Burrow, I believe, as Bill and Fleur's wedding is in two days." Molly and Arthur both nodded to confirm this fact.

"Brilliant, we'll be there," Tonks said. "I wonder if Harry has seen _Star Wars_."

"_Star Wars?_ What are you on about?" Molly asked. "What happened to you in that city, Remus, you were always so responsible."

"The American Secretary of Magic wanted us to tell Harry something…it's a line from a Muggle film," Remus said. He couldn't help but laugh at the flabbergasted look on Molly's face, though he understood where she was coming from.

Before this trip he could never have imagined himself doing something so outrageous. Quiet, unassuming Remus Lupin never acted so rashly. Tonks had actually needed to remind him they were married the morning after the ceremony, as he hadn't been quite sure that it had really happened. It was probably a good thing James and Sirius weren't around to make fun of him over _that._ He smiled slightly, then noticed that Molly was still looking for him to explain himself.

"Getting married may have been a bit…impulsive, but it felt right. Being in that city does something to you…I can't describe it," he said finally, looking at Tonks fondly.

"Well, it's about bloody time," Moody grumbled. "We've been waiting for this to happen for ages." Remus glanced around the table to see the rest of the Order members nodding and smiling. Even Molly now looked a bit teary-eyed.

"See, I told you it was a good idea," Tonks whispered, nudging Remus in the ribs playfully.

"Yes, I guess it was," he agreed. "Even if it was a bit tacky."

The End

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading this little story. I know it was a welcome distraction from studying for me (last exam is tomorrow!). Thanks to everyone who reviewed; I love reading your comments. Happy Holidays! 


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